System of electrical regulation.



PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.

J. L. OREVELING. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL REGULATION.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1902 I NO MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEET l.

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WITNESSES: I IA IVENTOI? f w PATEN'I'ED DEC. 22

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1902.

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QATTOH EYS.

W/7'NESSE8 lcitizen of the United States, residing in the UNITED STATESJOHN L. OREVELING,

f Patented I Jecember 225, 1903..

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent- No, 74:7,686, datedDecember 22, 1903.

Application filed February 12, 1902. Serial No. 93,775. (No model.)

To all whom, it Wtcty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. CREVELING, a

borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improveinentsin Systems of Electrical Regulation,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to systems of elec trical regulation, and has forits primary object to produce means for charging storage batteries froma generator running at variable speeds and to maintain a desiredconstant voltage upon the work circuit, regulating the voltage directlyby the output of the generator.

A further object of my invention is to produce a construction wherebywhen the batteries shall have reached a certain voltage that is, whenthey have become practically chargedthe charging rate will beautomatically changed, it being well understood that the voltagenecessary to charge the cells at the normal rate will remain almostconstant until the cells are practically charged, when a considerablerise in voltage is necessary to maintain this normal charging-current. Ihave shown means which when this rise in voltage takes place operate tolessen the charging rate, thereby avoiding a useless waste of currentand evaporation of electrolyte due to violent gasing of the cells.

My invention also, broadly considered, embodies a regulator adapted tomaintain a constant current from a generator driven at variable speedand an interdependent regulator for determining the current which theregulator shall hold constant.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown three of several means forcarrying out my invention.

In Figure I, I have shown means for carrying out my invention in whichthe regulation is effected from the field of the regulator-motor. InFig. II, I have shown a similar arrangement, in which the constructionis slightly modified; and in Fig. III, I have shown another arrangementembodying my invention, in which the regulation of the output orchargingcurrent of the generator is effected from the armaturewindingsof the regulatormotor.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a generator driven at variable speeds. Thisgenerator in the present instance is driven from the axle of a movingcar after the manner of the ordinary storage-battery car systems, 2 and3 representing the generatormains, which extend to a suitable storagebattery 4: and lamp or translation circuit 5. A suitable line-switch 6may be interposed in the generator main circuit.

7 isaregulator-motor,one of whose field coils 8 is in the generator maincircuit, and its other field-coil 9, which opposes the coil 8,is atpredetermined times included in shunt to the battery-circuit throughwires 10 11, rheostat 13, and wire let. The circuit of the batteryfield-coil 9 also includes at predetermined times the rheostat 15, aswill be explained. Included in the line 2 are suitable wires 16 17, oneof which runs to the switcharm 20 and the other to the first contact 19of the rheostat 21. I have shown the generator 1 as being provided witha shunt-field 22, which is connected by a wire 23 to one of thegenerator-mains and through wire 2 rheostat 25, and wire 26 with theother generator-main. The armature 27 of the regulator-motor isconnected across the dynamoinains by wires 28 29 through a suitableresistance 30, preferablya variable resistance. A solenoid at 31 orother suitable device is shown as providing means whereby upon the riseof the batteries to a predetermined voltage the charging rate may bechanged. In the various forms of my invention, which for the sake ofconvenience I have illustrated diagrammatically, I have shown a solenoidat 31 as performing this function. This solenoid at 3i is in Fig. Ishown as con nected in shunt across the dynamo-mains by the wires 32 andas provided with a core 33, operating a pivoted contact-arm 3%, whichcooperates with the rheostat 15.

In each of the figures I have shown a line a, which indicates theposition of the switcharm 20, where the field is receiving full currentand the lampshave the proper amount of resistance in circuit therewithand the battery field-coil of the regulator-motor has the proper amountof resistance therein.

This position indicates the lowest speed at which the generator givesits normal output, which output remains constant throughout increases ofspeed.

The armature-shaft 35 of the regulatormotor is shown as provided with aworm 36, which meshes with a gear 37, which drives the arm 20,preferably by means of a frictional connection 38.

The operation of the device is as follows, the parts being supposed tobe in the positions shown in the figures: The generator 1 is started upand upon reaching a critical speed, owing to the fact that the generatorshunt-coil 22 receives full current the generator will have its normalvoltage, the armature 27 of the regulator-motor also receiving current;but the field of the motor is not excited. When the voltage rises to apredetermined degree,the line-switch 6 closes the generator-circuit.When the generatorcircuit has thus been completed, the fieldcoil 8 ofthe regulator-motor will receive any current delivered by the generatorto the battery or consumption circuit. This current will tend to excitethe field of the regulator-motor and cause the motor-armature to rotate,so as to move the switch-arm to the left, which by its movementimmediately cuts the regulator-motor field-coil 9 into circuit throughthe resistance 13 and introduces resistance into the lamp-circuit tocompensate for the rise in voltage. As the output rises resistance willbe cut out of the battery field-coil circuit 9 and more resistance willbe cut into the lamp-circuit until the normal line Ct is reached, whenthe lamps will have all of their resistance in circuit and the batteryfield-coil 9 of the regulator-motor will be receiving its full current.Upon any further rise in the output of the generator due to a furtherchange in the speed the switch-arm 20 will begin to cut the resistanceinto the field-circuit of the generator and to thereby cut down thefield and maintain a practically constant output. This it does by theaction of the coil 8 opposing the action of the coil 9 and overpoweringit, thereby causing the switch-arm 20 to move farther to the left, so asto cut down the generator sh nut-field upon an increase of output.

So far the solenoid 31 has not come into action and the cells were beingcharged at their normal rate; but let it be supposed that this chargingbe continued until the cells have become nearly charged, so that aconsiderable rise in voltage will be necessary to maintain this normalrate. When this occurs the solenoid will operate to change the rate tolessen it, thereby avoiding useless waste of current and evaporation ofelectrolyte due to violent gasing of the cells. This is accomplishedupon a rise in voltage by the solenoid 31 raising its core 33, so as tocut a portion or all of the resistance 15 into the circuit of thefield-coil 9 of the regulator-motor. This will weaken the field-coil 9,and the coil 8 will cause the armature 7 of the regulatormotor torevolve in such direction as to decrease the output of the generatoruntil the effect of the current flowing from the genera tor through thecoil 8 will practically balance the reduced efiect of coil 9.

In Fig. II, I have shown a similar arrangement, in which similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts. In this figure the solenoid31 is shown as having an opposing winding in circuit through wires ll inthe lamp-circuit and operates to vary the resistance 15, which by thewire 42, resistance 43, rheostat 44, and wire is in shunt with the coil8 of the regulator-motor after the arm 20 has come in contact with theend contact 44 of the rheostat It. In this form of my invention thecharging rate is determined by the solenoid 31 and is varied by varyingthe effect of the coil 8 by placing more or less resistance in shunttherewith. The function of the opposing winding 40 and 41 upon thesolenoid is practically as follows: When the lamp-circuit is open, asindicated in the figure, no current will flow through the wires 40 and41 and the operation of the solenoid 31 will be as outlined with regardto Fig. I. Should the batteries have been fully charged and the solenoid31 have caused the charging rate to have been lessened, the closing ofthe lamp-switch will cause the lamp-current to flow through thediiferential winding 40 41 of the solenoid 31, causing the generator todeliver its full normal output so long as the lamp-circuit remainsclosed.

In Fig. III, I have shown another construction. In this figure thesolenoid 31 is in shunt to the generator-circuit by wires 45 in serieswith the resistence of the lamp-circuit. The regulator-motor is providedwith a tield-coil 46, which is normally in shunt to the batterycircuit,and is provided with an armature having double windings which opposeeach other. One of these windings is connected through the brushes 47 inseries with the generator-mains. The other winding of the armature isconnected in circuit as follows: from the main 2 by wire 48 throughbrushes 49, by wire 50, through the arm 34:, by wire 11, rheostat 13.The engaging section of the arm 20 is connected to the main 3, as by thewire 14:. The object of connecting the solenoid 31 in series with theresistance in the lamp-circuit is if the lamp-switch be open theresistance inserted in the lamp-circuit will not appreciably decreasethe current through the solenoid 31, inasmuch as the lamp resistance isnegligible as compared with that of the solenoid winding, and so long asthe switch in the lamp-circuit remains open the solenoid 3l will operatepractically as if its windings were in shunt across the generatorinains.Now if the batteries are charged until the rise in voltage shall havecaused the solenoid 31 to lower the charging rate and then thelamp-switch be closed the difference in potential of the lamp-mains willbe considerably less than the generator-mains, owing to the lampresistance, and consequently the strength of the solenoid 31 will bedecreased, thus allowing the generator to deliver its full normaloutput. The operation of this form of my invention Will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing, the charging rate being regulated at theproper time by the solenoid 31, which operates to introduce theresistance 15 into the circuit of the regulator-motor armature-Windinginclrcuitwith the brushes 49.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In a system of electrical distribution the combination with agenerator adapted to be driven at variable speeds and a storage batterycharged thereby of a regulator adapted to maintain givencharging-currents throughout changes in speed of the generator and meansoperated by changes in the difference of potential of the batterydetermining the said charging-currents.

2. In a system of electrical distribution the combination of a generatorand accumulator and automatic means including a device operated bydifference of potential determining the charging rate with meansmaintaining the said charging rate throughout changes in speed of thegenerator until a change of voltage of the battery causes a change inthe charging rate.

3. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination of agenerator, automatic means for maintaining the output of the generatorpractically constant throughout changes in speed and electromagneticmeans determining the said output to be maintained.

4:. In asysteni of electrical distribution, the combination ofagenera-tor, an accumulator, automatic means for maintaining the currentoutput of the generator practically constant and automatic meansdetermining the said current to be maintained.

5. In asystem of electrical distribution, the combination of agenerator, an accumulator charged thereby, means for maintaining thecurrent output of the'generator practically constant throughout changesin speed and automatic means controlled by voltage of the accumulatorfor altering the current upon changes in voltage of said accumulator.

6. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination of agenerator, an accumulator means for maintaining a desired current outputof the generator and automatic means, dependentupon the voltage of theaccumulator, determining the said output.

7. In a system of electricaldistribution, the combination of agenerator, an accumulator charged thereby, a regulating device incircuit with the generator for controlling the current output of thegenerator, and automatic means governed by the voltage for-determiningthe said current output.

8. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination of agenerator, an accumulator, a regulating device for regulating the outputof the generator and supplemental means controlling the regulatingdevice, to determine the said output.

9. A system of distribution comprising a generator, an external circuit,and a regulator-motor having a plurality of windings and a rotatingmember, the said rotating member tending to rotate to cause a magneticbalance to be set up or preserved between two of the windings and meansfor varying the current in one of the lastnan1ed windings upon a rise involtage.

10. A system of distribution comprising a generator, an external circuitand a regulator-motor having a plurality of windings, and a rotatingmember, the said rotating member tending to cause a magnetic balance tobe set up or preserved between two of the windings, and means forvarying the effect of one of said last-named windings upon a rise involtage.

11. An electric regulator, comprisinga plurality of windings, twoofwhich are traversed by substantially constant currents, and one of whichis traversed by the current to be regulated, and means for automaticallydetermining one of the said constant currents. I

JOHN L. OREVELING.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. MORSE, F. E. KESSINGER.

